One of the highlights of the weekend was just run in Paris: the Grand Prix of the CSI5* competition. A large crowd had descended on the site under the Eifel Tower and watched as seven of the 36 starting combinations were able to record a clear first round behind their names. A jump-off of seven therefore had to decide on winner and loser. The French were very keen on a French victory but unfortunately for them it did not come. Christian Ahlmann rode the 11-year-old BWP horse Mandato van de Neerheide (by Emerald) to victory by jumping a clear jump-off in 38.09 seconds. Remarkably, this was Ahlmann's first competition in the LGCT since his fall in Mexico after which he had to rehabilitate.
The rest of the podium did colour in the French tricolour: Roger Yves Bost took second place. He counted on Cassius Clay VDV Z (by Calvino Z) and as always jumped a very spectacular jump-off. However, his time of 38.53 seconds proved just not enough to knock Ahlmann off the throne. Penelope Leprevost and Bino del Tondou (by Vigo d'Arsouilles) took home third place. They jumped a nice clear round in 39.37 seconds.
Fernando Martinez Sommer and High Five (by Glasgow vh Merelsnest) were good for fourth place. Jessica Springsteen was well on her way to a podium place with Don Juan van de Donkhoeve (by Bamako de Muze) but unfortunately a fault threw a spanner in the works. As the fastest four-pointer, they still finished in fifth place.